MY FIRST SCALP.
I was roused before dawn by the stir and bustle around me. On rising to
my feet, I found the party preparing to march. Every warrior ran out for
his horse; the pickets were drawn, and the animals led in and watered.
They are bridled; the robes are thrown over them and girthed. We pluck
up our lances, sling our quivers, seize our shields and bows, and leap
lightly upon horseback. Our line is already formed, and, wheeling in our
tracks, we ride off in single file to the northward.
From conversation with my companions the night previous, I had
discovered that only the leaders of the party knew our destination. The
rank and file were as ignorant of the intentions of their commanders as
is usually the case among the armies of more civilized peoples. The
young braves who were my chosen companions on the march and in the camp,
neither knew nor cared whither we were bound. They expected the
expedition to result in our return with an abundance of scalps and
plunder, and that was all they cared about. During the forenoon we
passed over a "_motte_" of prairie or park. Its surface was nearly
level, but it was studded here and there with clumps and coppices of
cottonwoods and other trees and shrubs.
To the north the horizon was shut in by a lofty mountain chain which
seemingly barred our pathway, although at a great distance, and between
us and this barrier was a range of much less elevation, such as are
called "foot hills" in this region.
About noon we came upon a small stream which crossed our line of march,
running off to the eastward. Upon its banks we halted for a short
period, watering and feeding our horses, and satisfying our own
appetites from our supply of dried meat. This done we resumed our march.
We now found the timber islands became less frequent, and in half an
hour's ride we left them altogether behind, and rode for several miles
over an open plain. We saw timber ahead of us, and had approached within
about a mile of it when one of the runners or spies, about fifty of whom
were scouting ahead, came back and reported to the chief that they had
discovered a small herd of buffalo grazing upon a small prairie or sort
of natural clearing beyond the belt of woods.
Although we were well provided with dried meat, the prospect of fresh
buffalo steak was not unpleasing, and a hunt was at once determined
upon.
Halting the party Stonhawon directed the renegade to take his own band
and join the scouts ahead. Together the bands would constitute a hunting
party of about one hundred warriors, quite large enough for the
destruction of the small herd before us. As I had attached myself to the
band of Hissodecha, I found myself destined to take part in the
enterprise, and anticipated no little amusement and sport.
Riding forward cautiously until we reached the timber, which was a not
very dense chaparral, we rode slowly and silently through the bushes
until we encountered a number of scouts _cached_ in the thicket, and
evidently waiting for us.
"What is it Han-na-ta-mauh?" asked Hissodecha of the leader of the
scouts as they rode up.
The scout replied that they had found the fresh tracks of a small herd
of buffaloes, and on following them up had found the animals feeding
upon a small prairie beyond the chaparral in which we were concealed.
The renegade dismounted, and telling me to accompany him, walked forward
with the scout to the edge of the thicket. Peering cautiously through
the leaves, we had a full view of the open ground. The buffaloes were
upon the plain.
It was, as Hanatamauh had said, a small prairie about a mile and a half
in width, closed in on all sides by a thick chaparral. Near the center
was a _motte_ of heavy timber growing up from a dense underwood. A spur
of willows running out from the timber denoted the presence of water.
"There's a spring there," said the renegade, turning to me; "I have been
here before, and know the ground. How can we get at them?" he continued,
turning to the scout; "do you think we can approach them?"
"No," said Hanatamauh, "there is not cover enough; and besides, they are
getting further away from the bushes as they feed."
"What then?" asked Hissodecha; "we can't run them; they would be off
through the thicket in a moment, and we would lose them all."
"Yes," replied the scout, "that is certain; but we can get them for all
that. I never saw a better place for a 'surround,' and it will take but
a short time to get your braves in position."
"True," said Hissodecha, "if the wind is right. How is it?"
"There is none," said the scout taking a feather from his head-dress and
tossing it in the air. "You see it falls direct."
"I see," said Hissodecha; "let us divide the men. We have enough to pen
them in completely. You can guide one-half of them to their stands. I
will go with the rest. You, Tahteckadahair," he continued, "had better
bring up your horse and stay where you are. It is about as good a stand
as you can get. You will have to wait patiently, as it may be an hour
before all are placed. When you hear the signal, which will be the
hunter's whistle, you may gallop forward and do your best. If we succeed
we shall have plenty of sport and a good supper, and I suppose you are
ready for that by this time."
The renegade now left me, followed by the scout, and went back to the
rest of the party. Their intention was to separate the band into two
equal parties, and each taking an opposite direction, to place men at
regular intervals around the prairie. They would keep in the chaparral
while on the march, and only discover themselves when the signal was
given. In this way, if the buffaloes did not take the alarm, we should
be almost certain of securing the entire herd.
As soon as Hissodecha left me, I selected my hunting arrows, which,
unlike those used for war, are not poisoned. Then I brought up my horse,
and having nothing else to do, I remained seated upon his back watching
the animals as they fed on, unaware of their danger.
The screaming of birds who flew up from the thicket showed that the
hunters were proceeding to their stands. Now and then an old bull,
standing like a sentinel on the outskirts of the herd, would snuff the
wind and strike the ground violently with his hoof as though suspecting
that something was wrong; but the others did not seem to mind him and
kept on cropping the luxuriant grass. Suddenly an object made its
appearance, emerging from the _motte_ in the center of the prairie. It
looked like a buffalo calf proceeding to join the others. As usual, a
pack of coyotes were sneaking around the herd, and these, on perceiving
the calf, made an instant attack upon it. To my surprise, it seemed to
fight its way through them, and soon joined the herd and was lost to
view among them. I thought no more of it, and was wondering how much
longer I would have to wait for the signal, when I noticed that the
buffaloes were lying down one after another.
In a few minutes eight or ten were stretched upon the turf, and I
observed that they fell suddenly as if shot, and some of them appeared
to kick and struggle violently. I had heard of a curious habit of these
animals known as "wallowing," and concluded this must be it. As I had
never witnessed this manoeuvre, I watched them as attentively as
possible, but the high grass prevented me from seeing much. At all
events, I thought, the "surround" will be complete before they get ready
to move, and I waited patiently for the signal.
The buffaloes still continued to lie down one after another, and at
length the last one of the herd stretched himself upon the prairie. At
this instant the shrill notes of the Indian whistle reached my ears, and
a wild yell arose from all sides of the prairie. I urged my horse
forward; a hundred others had done the same, all yelling at the top of
their voices as they shot out of the thicket. Filled with the wild
excitement incident to such a scene, I galloped forward with my bow
strung and arrows ready, intent upon having the first shot. To my
surprise the buffaloes did not stir. The Indians closed in, yelling as
they came, and we pulled up our horses in the very midst of the
prostrate herd. I sat upon my horse as if spell-bound, looking about me
in consternation and wonder. Before me lay the bodies of the buffaloes,
and I seized with a superstitious awe when I perceived that every one of
them was dead or dying. Blood flowed from their mouths and nostrils, and
from wounds in the side of each the red stream trickled down. The
prairie carpet was dyed with it.
My companions seemed at first as much surprised as myself, but some of
the more astute quickly divined the mystery and commenced looking about
with keen scrutiny. Suddenly the renegade urged his horse forward, and
on turning to see what he had discovered, I saw the buffalo calf, whose
existence I had for a time forgotten. The calf had been concealed behind
the carcass of one of the buffaloes, but now appeared to be endeavoring
to make off into the timber.
Hissodecha rode up to it, evidently intending to pierce it with his
lance, when the animal suddenly reared up, uttering a wild human scream.
The shaggy hide was thrown aside, and a naked savage appeared, holding
up his arms as if pleading for mercy. His appeal was a vain one,
however, for the ruthless renegade pinned him to the earth with a thrust
of his lance, and, springing from his horse, finished him with his
tomahawk. He then scalped him, and, remounting his horse, directed some
of the warriors to scour the prairie, as they might find another "calf"
concealed in the long grass. With the rest of the party he rode up to
the _motte_, and they quickly formed in a circle, around it. Familiar as
I had become with Indian cruelty, I felt a sensation of horror and
disgust at this cool shedding of blood, and I halted irresolutely by the
body of the dead Indian. He lay stretched upon his back, naked to the
breech clout, the red stream flowing from the lance wound in his side.
His limbs quivered, but it was in the last spasm of departing life.
The hide in which he had been disguised lay near him, where he had flung
it at the moment he was discovered. Beside him were a bow and several
arrows. The latter were covered with blood, the feathers steeped in it
and clinging to the shafts. They had pierced the bodies of the
buffaloes, passing entirely through. Each arrow had taken many lives.
I was still contemplating the dead man, when a yell from the _motte_
attracted my attention, and I rode thither. I reached the spot just in
time to see the body of another Indian dragged out from the thick
undergrowth, and his fortunate slayer, who happened to be one of the
younger braves, took the scalp with great complacency, as it was his
first trophy of the kind. The Indians evidently believed that another of
the _Coyoteros_ or Wolf Apaches, for to this tribe the two dead savages
were declared to belong, was concealed in the thicket, for they were
formed in a sort of irregular circle around the copse, peering into it
from every direction. Hissodecha now ordered the warriors to close in
from every direction and search the thicket. In this manoeuvre I found
myself compelled to take part, as otherwise I would have incurred the
stigma of cowardice. We dismounted from our horses and pressed into the
thicket from all sides. For a few seconds nothing could be heard but the
cracking of the undergrowth as we forced our way through it. Suddenly a
yell arose from the side opposite to my position, and almost instantly a
third _Coyotero_ sprang from a dense clump of willows near the spring,
and made for the opening. It chanced that I was directly in his path,
and he was rushing upon me with upraised knife. Strong as might be my
repugnance to taking human life, the instinct of self-preservation was
still stronger, and before he could reach me I had pierced him with an
arrow, and he fell dead almost at my feet. In an instant the warriors
had gathered around me, and I was being congratulated upon my bravery
and skill. Not feeling particularly proud of the achievement, I was
about to remount my horse, when Hissodecha reminded me that I had
neglected to scalp the fallen foe; so I was compelled to perform that
operation, which I did rather clumsily. A thorough search through the
thicket and over the prairie having satisfied my savage companions that
no more of the _Coyoteros_ had been present, we returned to the dead
buffaloes and began skinning and cutting them up.
Stonhawon soon arrived with the remainder of the band, and as it was
nearly sundown, we encamped upon the spot; the spring furnishing water,
and the grass of the prairie an abundance of rich food for the horses.
As for ourselves, we feasted in true savage fashion, finding the fresh
steaks, tongues, and hump ribs a decided improvement upon the tasajo
which had previously been our diet.
I was compelled to listen to many encomiums upon my courage and
dexterity, and some of the young braves ventured the opinion that
Tahteckadahair would soon be as great a warrior as Hissodecha.
Painfully impressed by the scene of slaughter in which I had been an
unwilling participant, I held myself aloof as much as possible from the
merry groups around the camp fires, and at an early hour wrapped myself
in my blanket, and wearied by the fatigue and excitement of the past two
days, I was soon buried in a heavy and dreamless sleep, which continued
until the dawn of another morning again compelled me to come forth; and
this time it was not as an inexperienced brave, but as an acknowledged
warrior; for I had slain an enemy and taken my first scalp. I cannot
say, however, that my increase of notoriety was a source of satisfaction
to me, but quite the contrary.
Somewhat to my surprise we remained by the _motte_ spring for three
days. This was necessary in order to convert the buffalo meat into
tasajo, as we had not a sufficient supply for our purpose.
On the evening of the third day, the meat being sufficiently "cured,"
we "struck camp" and rode off to the north until we had reached the
chain of mountains which crossed our path. Here we turned to the
eastward, and journeyed along their base intending to cross at a well
known pass about twenty miles above. Reaching it at nightfall we again
encamped, designing to pass the mountain range the next morning.